Hurricane Sandy might have hit the East Coast, but in Grove City, a couple of residents are responding.

Diane Rizzi said she was born and raised on Long Island and still has family and friends there.

"They were telling me about so many areas that weren't getting the help they needed," she said. "I wanted to do something. I was sitting at home one night wondering if there was anything I could do, and then I realized there was."

Rizzi loaded her van and a 6-by-12-foot trailer with canned goods, water, blankets and other supplies, and at 9 p.m. Nov. 9, she drove to New York with her son, Dustyn Fout, 16, and daughter, Adrianna Rizzi, 12, to deliver the materials. She returned to Grove City three days later.

"On the way, we saw convoys of 20 or 30 trucks heading back west ... (and) convoys of U-Hauls," Rizzi said. "The amount of huge trees down was insane."

In New York, Rizzi said they delivered the supplies to a local VFW.

"It's kind of like a hub there," she said. "They were sorting and sending out trucks."

Rizzi said the experience taught her children about how there are people in need in the world, to value what they have, the importance of being prepared and the power of storms that don't reach Grove City.

"They got to see something they don't see a lot out here," Rizzi said. "On the way back, he said, 'Wow, Mom, that really made me feel good helping people.' "

Rizzi currently is raising money to go toward helping victims of Hurricane Sandy. She said she is working with area businesses and restaurants to contribute gift cards to be donated and is planning to conduct a raffle. She also intends to make and sell T-shirts with the slogan "Strong Island, The Buckeyes Support You."

Those willing to donate time, money, nonperishables or raffle items, or who want to sell or buy tickets or shirts can send an email to Rizzi at linyer_sandyrelief@yahoo.com.

Allison Boggs, a 2012 graduate of Central Crossing High School, also is raising money to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Boggs works at Tony's Coney's, 9901 U.S. Route 62 in Orient, which has been selling Boggs' baked goods, including cookies and buckeyes. The idea for a bake sale came after seeing a story on TV about a person who was doing something similar in New York, along with a talk at Covenant Church about what's going on in the world, she said.

"I like to bake, so I thought that's something I can do," Boggs said.

The response, she added, has been good so far.

"We've made over $200 so far," Boggs said. "A lot of people have been buying them through Tony's."

Boggs said she would continue to sell the cookies and buckeyes through Christmas or until people stop wanting them.